WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- With five players scoring all but two of its points, Warner Pacific held off Whitman College 72-61 in a non-conference women's basketball game Saturday afternoon in Sherwood Center.

Warner Pacific, picked by a preseason coaches poll to finish second this season in the Cascade Collegiate Conference, improved to 6-5 on the season.

Whitman, which was coming off a long Finals Week in the classroom, slipped to 3-6.

K. Peterson

Juniors Kelly Peterson and Mary Madden both made six of 10 shots from the floor and finished with 13 points apiece to pace Whitman's attack.

Senior Jenele Peterson chipped in with 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Sophomore Sarah Anderegg added eight points and five boards.

Chelsey Christensen, a junior guard, had a game-high 20 points to lead four Warner Pacific players into double digits. Christensen also had six rebounds and four assists.

Madden

Morgan Wolf, another junior guard and the only reserve to score for the Knights, contributed 15 points and six rebounds. Cameryn Calhoun, a senior guard, gave the visitors 13 points, seven assists and six boards, while senior guard Kelsey Mattsen was good for 13 points and five rebounds.

The NAIA-affiliated Knights, who led 33-27 at halftime, shot 49 percent from the floor and out-rebounded Whitman 45-31.

The Missionaries won the ball-control battle, collecting 12 steals while forcing Warner Pacific into 19 turnovers. Sophomore Tiffanie Traver nabbed three steals to match Jenele Peterson for gam-high honors. Anderegg and junior Shiann Dreadfulwater both had two steals.

Meghan White, a 6-foot sophomore, pulled down six rebounds and blocked a pair of shots for Whitman.

J. Peterson

Madden scored five points as Whitman jumped in front 7-4 to start the game, but Christensen and Wolff hit a pair of free throws to fuel a 12-0 Warner Pacific run. 

After baskets by Anderegg and Kelly Peterson helped Whitman close to within five points with 11 minutes left in the half, the Knights stretched their lead back into double digits at 30-19 with three minutes remaining.

Jenele Peterson's layup and a jumper by senior Anna Forge trimmed Whitman's deficit to 33-27 the break.

The Knights upped their lead to 13 points early in the second half, but the Missionaries stayed within reach for most of the half. Whitman trailed by just eight points, 52-44, after Traver made two free throws with 8:02 left to play.

Warner Pacific countered with four straight points and maintained a double-figure bulge the rest of the way.

Whitman travels to Lewiston, Idaho, on Sunday for a 2 p.m. game against Lewis-Clark State.

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CONTACT: Dave Holden
Sports Information Director
Whitman College, Walla Walla, Wash.
509 527-5902; holden@whitman.edu